Ted Bundy is obviously one of the most iconic, written-about serial killers in history. Why a book about Ted Bundy? What’s the untold story that you set out to uncover?

The desire, or drive, if you will, to write an article about Ted Bundy and then create a 120,000 plus word book about the murders, was born out of my crossing paths with his infamous murder kit. Had Jerry Thompson [a key detective on the Bundy case -ed.] left Bundy’s stuff in Utah that May of 2005, well, it would have been an enjoyable meeting with the former detective, but I’m certain it would have all ended quietly there. Indeed, I doubt if I’d even considered writing an article for Snitch [a now-defunct crime magazine -ed.], much less a book about the killings. But it was having all that stuff in my hands, and in my home, and then being given one of the Glad bags from Ted’s VW that made it very real (or surreal) to me, and from this, a hunger to find out more about the crimes led me forward.

Ted Bundy’s gear, right where you want it — image courtesy of Kevin M. Sullivan. (Check the 1975 police photo for confirmation.)

Believe me, in a thousand years, I never would have expected such a thing to ever come my way. I can’t think of anything more odd or surreal.

ET: You mentioned that you think you’ve been able to answer some longstanding questions about Bundy’s career. Can you give us some hints? What don’t people know about Ted Bundy that they ought to know?

I must admit, when I first decided to write a book about the crimes, I wasn’t sure what I’d find, so the first thing I had to do was read every book ever written about Bundy, which took the better portion of three or four months.

From this I took a trip to Utah to again meet with Thompson and check out the sites pertaining to Bundy and the murders in that state. Next came the acquisition of case files from the various states and the tracking down of those detectives who participated in the hunt for the elusive killer.

Now, no one could have been more surprised than me to begin discovering what I was discovering about some of these murders. But as I kept hunting down the right people and the right documents, I was able to confirm these “finds” at every turn. And while I cannot reveal everything here, It’s all in the book in great detail. Indeed, you could say that my book is not a biography in the truest sense, but rather an in-depth look at Bundy and the murders from a vantage point that is quite unique. I wish I could delve further into these things now , but I must wait until it’s published.

The Bundy story has a magnetic villain and a host of victims … was there a hero? Was there a lesson?

The real heroes in this story are the detectives who worked day and night for years to bring Ted Bundy to justice. And if there’s a lesson to be learned from all of this, it is this: It doesn’t matter how handsome or articulate a person might be, or how nicely they smile at you, for behind it all, there could reside the most diabolical person you’ll ever meet! We need to remember this.

But how can you act on that lesson without living in a continual state of terror? Bundy strikes me as so far outside our normal experience, even the normal experience of criminality, that I’m inclined to wonder how much can be generalized from him.

Actually, (and I might say, thank God here!) people as “successful” as Ted Bundy don’t come our way very often. I mean, the guy was a rising star in the Republican Party in Washington, had influential friends, a law student, and certainly appeared to be going places in life. Some were even quite envious of his ascension in life. However, it was all a well-placed mask that he wore to cover his true feelings and intentions. On the outside he was perfect, but on the inside a monster. He just didn’t fit the mold we’re used to when we think of a terrible killer, does he?

Now, there are those among us — sociopaths — who can kill or do all manner of terrible things in life and maintain the nicest smile upon their faces, but again, just beneath the surface ticks the heart of a monster, or predator, or what ever you might want to call them. Having said that, I’m not a suspicious person by nature, and so I personally judge people by their outward appearance until shown otherwise. Still, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to see the “real” individual behind the person they present to us on a daily basis.

You worked with case detectives in researching your book. How did the Ted Bundy case affect the way law enforcement has subsequently investigated serial killers? If they had it to do over again, what’s the thing you think they’d have done differently?

They all agree that today, DNA would play a part of the investigation that wasn’t available then. However, in the early portion of the murders, Bundy made few if any mistakes, as he had done his homework so as to avoid detection. As such, even this wouldn’t be a panacea when it came to a very mobile killer like Bundy who understood the very real limitations sometimes surrounding homicide investigations.

I can’t help but ask about these detectives as human beings, too. Clearly they’re in a position to deal with the heart of darkness in the human soul day in and day out and still lead normal lives … is a Ted Bundy the kind of killer that haunts or scars investigators years later, or is this something most can set aside as all in a day’s work?

They are, first of all, very nice people. And you can’t be around them (either in person, or through numerous phone calls or emails) for very long before you understand how dedicated they are (or were) in their careers as police officers. They are honorable people, with a clear sense of duty, and without such people, we, as a society, would be in dire circumstances indeed.

Even before Bundy came along, these men were veteran investigators who had seen many bad things in life, so they carried a toughness which allowed them to deal with the situations they came up against in a professional manner. That said, I remember Jerry Thompson telling me how he looked at Ted one day and thought how much he reminded him of a monster, or a vampire of sorts. And my book contains a number of exchanges between the two men (including a chilling telephone call) which demonstrate why he felt this way

How about for you, as a writer — was there a frightening, creepy, traumatic moment in your research that really shook you? Was there an emotional toll for you?

Absolutely. But the degree of “shock”, if you will, depends (at least for me) on what I know as I first delve into each murder. In the Bundy cases I had a general knowledge of how Bundy killed, so there wasn’t a great deal that caught me by surprise, as it were. Even so, as a writer, you tend to get to know the victims very well through the case files, their family members or friends, and so on. Hence, I’ll continue to carry with me many of the details of their lives and deaths for the remainder of my life. And so, lasting changes are a part of what we do.

However, I did a story a few years back about a 16 year old girl who was horribly murdered here in Kentucky, and this case did cause me to wake up in the night in a cold sweat. Perhaps it was because I have a daughter that was, at the time, only a few years younger than this girl, and that some of what transpired did catch me off guard, so to speak, as I began uncovering just what had happened to this very nice kid.

Watch for Kevin M. Sullivan’s forthcomingThe Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History from McFarland in summer or fall of 2009.

* In fact, the term “serial killer” was coined in the 1970’s by FBI profiler Robert Ressler, as an improvement on the sometimes inaccurate category of “stranger killer”.

Kevin, again you point to credentials you may have pulled out of your ass, when in fact you have been shown in detail why your books are not of publishable quality, and are, in fact, hilariously error-strewn, as you can’t even compose a single sentence without making several howlers. (I’d like to dedicate this overlong sentence to Kevin)

And again you have failed to address a single one of them, having previously rather cheekily pretended I pulled you up on typos. I didn’t. Vouching, which you continue to do, is something done for unknown qualities. Here it isn’t required. It’s been shown that these books are in appalling condition. And you’ve chosen to ignore it.

And chosen to not respond about your lack of an advance, lack of requested changes, and your (supposed) lack of knowledge on why MacFarland significantly overprice books on release. The answer to all of these things is the same.

Got some cash and finally planning to publish that book on bees, or that year in high school when you won something big that no one cares about? WildBluePress is your answer:

“…a comprehensive and professional ghostwriting and publishing service through WildBlue Press. We offer ghostwriting services through our pool of established, well-regarded authors who will take your story, your ideas, and create a polished manuscript. Our rates are competitive with any ghostwriting service out there, EXCEPT we take it several steps further. [What you’ve just read is even worse than vanity publishing, but here we come to the dictionary definition…] We will also produce the book, including professional editing, formatting, and cover design, and then publish the book through WildBlue Press just as we do with all of our professional, award-winning authors.”

What makes this even funnier is that we have already established that at least one of the authors is incapable of professional copy on a grand scale, and no one else at the company seems to have the professional skills to even notice, never mind correct.

And funnier still… It’s not even honest! You’re proposing vanity publishing something the buyer doesn’t have to write. Like I said in post one, it’s vanity publishing on crack.

NWGal, as pointed out, Kevin made some crazy comments about another author. Don’t know the beef, but for Kevin to suggest lack of professionalism and self publishing on the other guy… You can see the glaring hypocrisy surely. Do you have a problem with his constant accusations of mental illness, or assuming every negative comment is coming from just one person? Did you cringe when he defended typos on Kindle when the issue is something else? Do you understand the cheap deflection tactic he was badly attempting?

Anyway, since you’re on board and Kevin is pretending his writing hasn’t been exposed, why don’t *you* defend the errors made. Perhaps use a few examples from a properly published non fiction book that you think are no worse. And we’ll take it from there. Or shoot me some random numbers and I’ll show you that the rot is everywhere and cherry picking isn’t required. There are 13 year old girls writing blogs about Justin Bieber’s hairstyle that couldn’t write as many awful sentences if they tried.

Here we go again exposing your madness: you state above: “…you can’t even compose a single sentence without making several howlers…”. Now, do you literally mean that? Or perhaps you’re just being stupid? Which is it? You know, it’s too bad you didn’t inform the publishers who have quoted from my books. Too bad you didn’t get to McGraw-Hill before they published verbatim from The Bundy Murders for their college textbook, Abnormal Psychology. Too bad you weren’t there to rescue them from their folly. Gee, how come McGraw-Hill can’t see what you see? How come the many reviewers who’ve written good pieces and blurbs saying the opposite of what you’re saying here? I wonder why this is? And this is why I say you’re crazy. Despite all of this evidence from MY PEERS in the established world of publishing that validate what I have said here, you refuse to believe it. And this is why “Hal” I say that I am embarrassed for you. You are a sad person that lives in a very odd world that apparently, only dwells within your mind. Just accept the fact that I write good books; books that established publishers want to publish. Just accept the fact that my books sell well, and folks like my “well-written” books. Come on in, the water is fine.

As to WildBlue Press: Ghostwriting has nothing to do with vanity publishing. That’s a service they offer, but it has NOTHING to do with me (I wouldn’t do it) or any of the authors I know of. That’s something I don’t have anything to do with, neither am I interested in it. But ghosting is a very good thing that even the NY publishers occasionally participate in to get certain books written. Still, that’s not my thing.

Btw: I’m only responding to you now because you finally added a quote, which is as good as a link.

Lastly, what on earth were you talking about when you mentioned “bees”?

Good grief, another car crash of insults and conspiracies and no interaction with the accusations at hand. Again, you assume only one person can be critical of you and are happy to share that delusion with the world. Given the errors and appalling writing are everywhere (and you have no answer for any of them), why assume only one reader would be aware?

Also, why assume two unrelated people (presumably saying unrelated things, I haven’t seen the other argument) must be the same… I guess you must cringe when you have a sycophantic apologist show up who just happens to ignore an entire post of criticism barring one small element… the only small element you could deal with coincidentally? Do you expect better from those who have got your back?

By the way, on that point, the first publisher who you claimed made no changes and paid you no advance (a professional publisher wouldn’t dream of either)… you were asked here way back when why the book was ridiculously expensive. You said you had no idea.

No idea? And you claim it’s me who is ignorant about your publisher? Either you genuinely didn’t know and were the epitome of the ignorance you are claiming for others. Or you were lying, given the truth makes you sound far less grand. Pick one. Go on, which is the lesser of two evils?

Then I am apparently so stupid for not understanding English, with some cockamamie reasoning? You are aware you said WildBluePress *are* a consortium of writers including you, right? And you know consortium implies both partnership and ownership? And you’ve claimed to be a writer and indeed one of these writers. And by then describing the publisher immediately afterwards as ‘we’ you once again state that you are the publisher.

You self-vanity published the book. And you have been shown that it has all the hallmarks of a vanity published book. None of which you have dared challenge. Who was the acquisition editor there? How long did they consider whether or not to publish? Who copy-edited the book? Clearly no one. It’s a badly written mess.

Again, you have both made a complete hash and retread of an earlier statement… and STILL DENY THE WEBSITE ADMITS YOU’RE A VANITY PUBLISHER… and big yourself up again as a great writer (bloody hell) despite having nothing to say whatsoever about the numerous errors, appalling writing and blatant lack of any editing… save pretending they were typos. How can you continue to vouch for yourself in this way, when proof that you can’t write your way out of a wet paper bag goes unchallenged?

Ultimately this all began because you claimed another author was unprofessional and self published. I’ve dealt with the latter, but once again you’re doing a good job of the former.

Assuming everyone is the same person out to get you on day release from the mental hospital. Refusing to acknowledge blatantly dreadful writing. Continuing to pretend your publishing house isn’t a vanity publisher when it says so quite clearly on the website. Using words like ‘embarrassing’ and ‘stupid’ before you completely cock it up again.

It’s not professional at all. Nor is constantly soliciting reviews on Amazon where, the last time I checked a few years ago, you were hawking the same ‘I’m being attacked by mental patients’ schtick. Nor would a good writer describe themselves as excellent in their own book. I mean everything about you is genuinely cringeworthy.

Go through the errors listed which you have so far completely ignored (there are hundreds more), or just admit you’re a hack. Or are you going to do your usual with childish insults, conspiracy theories and another attempt at pretending no examples of your error-strewn calamities have been given?

Man up. Deal with them. See if you can manage on the fourth attempt.

And for god’s sake…also just admit you are involved with a vanity publisher. It’s in black and white. Like Schindler’s’ List. But a lot more sad.

I believe you are Rob. The reason I believe that is because the thinking appears to be the same, some of the words you use in your communication are the same, and the similarities do not end there. Concerning the craft of writing, and my involvement in it, the publishers I deal with and the vast majority of my readers consider my work, all of my works, to be well written. So if you have another opinion, one not held by them, what is that to me? Who cares?
As to your incorrect accusations about WildBlue Press, and let me enlighten you: while the authors at WBP have a partnership of sorts it does not include ownership. As to your incorrect belief that WBP is a vanity publisher which is absurd, I asked you to provide a link and you have failed to do so. They are not a vanity publisher, never have been and never will be.
Are you kidding me? I’m to tell you who the editors are at McFarland or any place else? I owe you nothing. I’m merely conversing with an idiot. My conversing with said idiot ends with this communication. You can prattle on all you want, look the fool, and be the fool. You are an embarrassment to yourself. And with that I bid you good day.

Oh dear. Kevin, you are aware of the straw man argument, right? How to pick one part of a criticism (in your case, just a part of a part) and beat it death before walking away feeling triumphant?

A proper publisher pays an advance. And they would never put out something that wasn’t properly and professionally written, which your publishers have done. I’ve given plenty of examples. And will give plenty more. I mean this is just the basics. (And if a publisher looks fishy – say, by putting out a book not professionally written – you can generally find the M.O. right there on the website.)

To repeat: you have said you are part owner of your current printing press: therefore you have self published. And you can include a link all you want, but why didn’t you include the link from that webpage which confirms you are a vanity publisher? Go on, you do the honours. Or are you now pretending it isn’t there? Link us up in your next post. Let’s see it. Let it come from you. At least a self published / vanity published novel is usually the work of the (likely not so great) writer it claims it is. But you guys have taken it to a whole other level. You’re WRITING other people’s vanity books for cash!!! You’re a vanity publisher’s vanity publisher!

Another classic piece of straw man arguing: typos. I haven’t accused you of any typos at all. But by all means pretend I have, and then defend this imaginary position. Is anyone fooled by this? (And to make it even funnier, even on Kindle a typo-festival would surely be the sign of a Mickey Mouse outfit – but let’s not digress and stick to the issue)

You have yet to actually defend or explain any of the dozen examples of errors I’ve given you just from one paragraph, one sentence and two opening pages. These errors relate to bad, unpublishable writing.

As stated, facts can be wrong. But if you can’t write worth a damn, you can end up making factual errors just getting from A to B, as I’ve shown you do constantly. You can’t even handle the tiny hurdles of basic narrative movement like saying ‘Ted was born… to his mother’ without making a total car crash of it. Not only do you present it in English a publisher would laugh at, but you end up stating two facts in that one short throwaway sentence that aren’t even true! I mean, how the hell can you screw that up?

In the Burr example, you are all over the place. This isn’t typos. It reads like the writer is having a stroke mid-paragraph. You repeat, you forget, you ramble, and you answer the same question twice, once nonsensically and once by contradicting everything you wrote. It’s truly appalling writing.

There are thousands more. Let’s prove it. Randomly. First two posters who are not blind sycophants can post a random number from 1-100. And we’ll take it from there.

You’re so stupid, you can’t understand basic English. I said WildBlue Press is a consortium of writers. I didn’t say I own any part of the publishing house, I don’t . THEY asked me to join them in the writing of some books! I said yes. They are ONE publisher I have. I have four altogether. I’m about to sign yet another contract from a different house outside of WildBlue in a day or so. I have absolutely NO TROUBLE obtaining book contracts from established publishers, and I even have to SAY NO to some who come calling. If you had any idea how dumb you look about these things, you’d go crawl into a hole and hide. You really are out there.

As to professional writing: No editor has ever changed the style of my writing, and all the publishers I’ve worked with like my prose. Editing, in the normal sense, will tighten things up where needed, and correct any mistakes, etc, but that basically it. When McFarland offered my a contract, the acquisition editor told me he was drawn to my book for a couple of reasons: The new and well-documented info that appears in The Bundy Murders, and the QUALITY of the writing. Gee, Hal-Rob, that’s interesting, as all my acquisition editors all feel about the same way. And the readers seem to feel that way too. So I think I’ll continue selling THOUSANDS OF BOOKS EACH MONTH, and you can continue hiding out in a cave somewhere where you make up these rather outlandish stories.

And please, Hal-Rob, provide the link to this supposed vanity publisher…..

Again, Kevin, you not only pretend a legitimacy you don’t have, but also a professionalism you manage to screw up as you profess it.

Your defaults are 1) that any detractor is mentally unstable and 2) that they are actually someone else. If I recall, I was someone called Leon last time. God knows who you have in mind now. I guess I’m the author you are apparently debating elsewhere? No, I’m not.

I’m afraid, aside from the fact that McFarland’s strategy of library placement was actually upfront on their website at the time (and is the reason they sell something you’d expect to be $10 at a wildly inflated figure closer to $50 as they are targeting institutions not Joe Public, on initial release), you also admitted they did not pay you an advance, nor copy-edit the work (the latter is self evident). Both minimum requirements for anything coming from a ‘reputable publisher’. Is it impossible a reputable publisher may have carried that book? No, the subject matter sells, but certainly never in the style it is in. Any editor would have rewritten pretty much every sentence.

Is there really any point in insisting your current book wasn’t vanity published when the website offers to print ANYTHING under their imprint for cash? Not only that, but that the book will even be touched up by other ‘authors’ at the vanity publisher. Whose literary skills have been laid bare (hey, I’d have ignored that stuff too).

Your current imprint is a vanity publisher. Now you’re admitting that you’re partly running this vanity publisher also?!? And yet it is the other guy who is self publishing??? And the owners/authors are also, per the website, moonlighting on vanity publishing the books of complete strangers? God, that musta been a nerve-wracking few months when they were deciding on your manuscript, huh?

Your book is the very definition of self published, even by your own admission! And it clearly wasn’t subject to any editing (or if nominally so, not remotely professionally).

I see you (and your sycophant) are ignoring the fact that you can’t produce publishable prose. This book would have been laughed out of any publishing house. I’m sure they would have a right old titter at you describing your own book as ‘excellent’ right there in the prologue. Before you went on to just bang out lazy inaccuracies left and right. (And that’s just the first two pages – I couldn’t continue)

Let me say again what I said on here a while ago. The quality of Bundy books can be judged just by looking at their last line. This is the pay off, the summation, the chance to go out with a bang. Most are surprisingly effective. But yours is a classic for all the wrong reasons. No point made, dreadful tabloid-style English used (that, again, just wouldn’t be tolerated by a reputable publisher), and hilariously the one ‘fact’ it concludes with is false!

For a giggle, I’ve just randomly ‘dipped in’ to a paragraph from the new opus. Where you ask yourself if Bundy killed Ann Burr. (10% of the way through the book, according to Kindle). Why don’t you have a look yourself, and tell me what is wrong with that paragraph. How much of it desperately needs fixing before publishing? How much of the sentence construction is so ill-considered as to make a straight forward comment now factually false? You even manage to answer the question of ‘Do *I* believe (he did it)?’ twice in one paragraph. Which answer is worse? The one which suggests you don’t understand the question (?!?), or the other which contradicts everything you’ve just said?

It’s funny that you can’t be consistent in thought, but can be in writing style. Sadly, when asking yourself the same question twice in one para, responding with ‘the truth or the matter is…’ both times, this is the kind of consistency which just says ‘unedited’, ‘amateur hour’, ‘middle school English (C-)’ and ‘definitely self published’.

Hal…why, you are crazy. You must be crazy to be coming up with this stuff.

McFarland did edit the book. They’re a regular publisher. It took 9 months to actually produce the book. What is so exceedingly strange about you, is even a quick research of McFarland will tell you the same thing. Indeed, their standards as a publisher are high and everyone in the business knows this. Get with the program. You’re speaking out of a deep well of ignorance and I’m embarrassed for you. Btw: As soon as I signed a contract with them another publisher was in the process of offering me a contract. You’re becoming absurd in your declarations, Hal or Rob or whatever your name is, and I’m embarrassed for you.

Again, you don’t get it about WildBlue Press, but we’re a consortium of established writers, and they have everything a standard publishing house has; and that’s because they’ve become a regular publishing house. I have two other publishing houses, and they too are great houses to work with.

As to typos: I don’t know why the occasional typo shows up in the Kindle editions of books but are often missing from the hard copy books, but it happens. When you find such things write or call the publisher and they’ll fix it.

Again Rob, or Hal, or whomever (maybe I should call you Mr. Unhappy and combative), learn facts before you speak. Take your head out of the sand and learn about McFarland Publishing. Find out the truth. What you are saying makes me think you’re on an island somewhere and can’t get the truth. But of course, this isn’t true. So it must be willful ignorance. Again, wise up.

Perhaps my book on George Custer would be more to your liking. It’s published by Rowman & Littlefield. Oh, that’s right, you probably think they’re a vanity press too?

Stinging criticism, but not even remotely accurate. McFarland is an established publisher and quite well respected. I was surprised when I learned that TBM was published by McFarland. They publish academic works and their usual adult non-fiction is usually about sports.

A vanity publisher?

That is so far from the mark, it ain’t even funny.

If you want to be a snarky, critical guy, you better improve your accuracy by a good bit. You struck out trying to make your latest zinger.

I haven’t witnessed this ‘fight’ that is supposedly going on between Bundy ‘authors’, but Kevin, to distinguish between a ‘real’ publisher and self publishing like you have just done is not only a cheap shot, it’s embarrassingly untrue.

Neither publisher of your Bundy books was legitimate. These are glorified vanity publishing houses using every trick in the book (the last publisher made their money, seemingly, by overpricing books with guaranteed library sales – this is why the original cost was 20 times greater than it was by the time I saw it on Kindle).

And your current publisher admit right on their homepage that they not only vanity publish, but will have one of their ‘esteemed authors’ even write the book to your instruction. They will publish it under your own name. Under their WildBluePress imprint. This is vanity publishing on crack!

You haven’t produced a single paragraph in these books that a ‘reputable’ publisher would deem to be acceptably written for publication. The gulf in writing quality between them and all others on the same subject is vast. Not least because even the one-off writers (lawyers, homemakers) have been professionally copy-edited. Yours have not been to any professional standard.

It’s also kind of amusing that you have been beating yourself up for getting the date of Bundy’s initial arrest wrong. As evidenced by the Florida pre-trial hearing all on YouTube, even the court was unsure which was the correct date.

But the writing is so quickly and shoddily knocked up, that you manage to create errors out of thin air. The first two pages are all over the place. ‘Without question, the Bundy’s were a normal American family’… really? No one has ever questioned that? Have you? Will you do so within a few more paragraphs?

The young Ted… ‘was ready for the nurturing that Louise was more than ready to give him.’ This is a complete word salad. Pointless prose, that not only relies on ‘ready’ more than Penguin Books would ever allow, but states facts about Ted and his mother that you’re making up as you type away. Ted may have been developmentally fractured from day one (or even earlier), and we all know his mother was far from ‘more than ready’.

This is just from the first few pages. Which, again, no ‘real’ publisher would have touched with a barge pole.

Hal…I really do believe you’re insane (tongue in cheek). You are also highly misinformed; so much so, it’s astounding how much ignorance you possess. A few points:

McFarland is an academic and scholarly publisher with an amazing reputation in the business. You need to do some research about them; and you might want to start with the LA Times. Your ignorance is truly amazing.

WildBlue Press is a consortium of established writers, of which I am one. It’s a really great way to publish, and we do everything that any other publisher does; but in many ways even better. Again, you’re incredibly ignorant of the facts.

I have two other publishers, and they too are legitimate. So I have four publishers-5 if you count ACX for the audio version of The Bundy Murders.

Sorry, pal, no vanity press here. You are sorely ignorant of the facts. I am surprised you haven’t doe your homework a bit better.

And don’t be fooled: there is a vast difference between being published by a legitimate publisher; a vast difference. For one thing, if the author conducts himself with the type of antics I’ve witnessed lately, that writer’s contract can be cancelled. There are great benefits too fit having a valid publisher. And while self-publishing can produce a good book (my first book on Custer, for example), which can sell well, there’s a lot of bad books being produced that go no where.

Me also thinks you’re the spokesperson (yet not a very good one) for others out there, and I think you can read between the lines.

Finally, do your homework when you attack someone prior to spouting off. That way you won’t look so foolish.

I saw all that unpleasantness yesterday, Kevin. I am going to unfollow the Facebook page and will not be buying the book. No good writer I have ever know attacks others on the subject in such an unseemly way.

I know, Fiz, it is strange what they are doing. They’re trying to climb the ladder of success by tearing every other work down, but it doesn’t work that way. All they’re going to do is expose their true intentions to their readers. Not only that, but there’s a lot they don’t know. And lastly, it’s a good thing they’re self publishing, as any real publisher would not permit their authors to engage in such counter productive activity, as it is sure to kill sales. Instead, they would hammer them in to submission lol!

So, I have encountered this fellow Rob who has written that new “Ted Bundy- Visual Timeline” and found that he has a very sharp axe to grind with Kevin. He spends most of his time trying to disprove things that Kevin has written about or researched as a “ruse” to try and get you to see him as the “World’s Foremost Authority on Ted Bundy” and buy his book. And yes, it’s a RUSE, just like Ted used to use. In fact, I think Rob has a bit of an obsession with Kevin the same way that Ted obsessed over some of his victims. The fact that this guy purposely tries to make Kevin look like a liar in his book is a representation of his inner jealousy and rage. Maybe this guy should write a book about the workings of an obsessive, jealous, angry mind and the reasoning for it. As a neuro science guy, he should be able to explain that, right? Now that might be interesting. But people, don’t be fooled by this guy and his attacks on Kevin. They are irrational and unprofessional. Kevin’s books are still very good pieces of work and I hope nobody will be suckered into this guy’s slander and psychotic infatuation with Kevin. Just wanted to let you all know to be careful and don’t let those ramblings, if you come across them, change your mind about Kevin or his books.

Let me begin first by saying that I take absolutely no pleasure writing about any of this that I’m about to address. However, the actions of those involved are so egregious that to not say something would be wrong. This pertains to Rob Dielenberg (not sure if I spelled his last name correctly) and his book: Ted Bundy: A Visual Timeline.

He, and a fellow named Chris, are aggressively attacking me, Bob Keppel, and Steve Winn and David Merrill, the authors of the very good book, Ted Bundy: The Killer Next Door. Now, my first encounter with their vitriol with Winn & Merrill was something that was posted on their Facebook page attacking them for a “fabrication” they perpetrated when they made a simple mistake on the mis-identification of a photo they used in their book. When I pointed out to them that fabrication means an intention to deceive, they backed off and said fabrication maybe too strong of a word. I said that’s correct, and that Winn and Merrill are stand up guys and they wouldn’t do that. All of this wa before they started in on me. During this same time, I noticed other very sharp and condescending things they’d say about others, and I found this to be exceedingly strange. And then someone contacted me and said they wanted to know what’s up, as they were openly attacking me and my book. So I went over and checked it out for myself, and sure enough, they were doing it. Now, here’s the really interesting part: as I gave the evidence in the one instance (I was answering Rob at this time, but I’d already sparred with the other fellow) he didn’t respond, but I noticed this morning that they have deleted the comment I’d made giving them the evidence straight from Ted’s mouth, and being faced with that, they trashed it. Very odd and completely in-academic.

There was also a fellow named Brad who posted and he admitted to me he found it unusual that called out another author (in this case me) and I agreed with him; and then I mentioned how, even having not read their book, they were wrong on several points, but that they don’t know it. Well, they deleted the comment from Brad, that mentions what they were doing with me was unusual. and of course, that doesn’t surprised me. Apparently, they do not want differing opinions, and anything that’s posted that could even slightly call into question what they’re saying, will be deleted, leaving only those comments that do not address true mistakes. When they asked me to point out the mistakes that I know are there (based on what others ave told me who have read the book), I told them I was now writing my 12th book, and pointing these things out is something I never do.

I also covered how strange it is to see such aggressive folks who go after others they don’t agree with with such vitriol; that it’s a study in psychology to watch. And I mean every word of that. I don’t think they realize how bad they look to others as they push their self-published picture book about Ted. Oh well.

One more thing: an individual contacted me this morning, telling me how they’ve contacted him and basically attacked them (with profanities) for merely defending me. Isn’t that strange?

The post of Brad ( mentioned earlier where he in essence defended me) is now back on the thread, as is my statement from Ted’s own mouth backing up what I said. Good that they’re back, but they were certainly missing earlier. So anyone wanting to check it all out can do so.

Maybe they’re backpedalling to try and make you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about now. Leaving your comments one minute, removing them the next. LOL. Sorry, but too many people have witnessed it now and they’ve already had their tire popped. It is very strange to see grown men who claim to be neurological scientists acting like their emotional growth was stunted in junior high school. I doubt very many people are going to take their arrogant “self published” work of the gods very seriously. They can thank their own “behavior” for that.

I don’t think they realize how bad it looks to be like that. As I said, it’s all very strange to watch, and I wish (for their literary sake) they’d of taken a different road. To trounce Bob Keppel, Winn&Merril, me, and God knows who else? Not wise at all.

You can add me to the list of Rob Delienberger’s attacks. I read his Timeline and began corresponding with him, asking about some of his theories on the grit and grime of Bundy’s perverse behaviors. Let’s see how deep this guy thinks. Maybe he’ll have some new idea that will shed some light. Then when I questioned his reasoning for something, suddenly this so-called neuroscientist began insulting me and telling me that I believed too many of Kevin’s “speculations.” Kevin this, Kevin that. I began to realize he had some sort of agenda against Kevin and a whole lot of jealousy and envy towards him as well. Scary combination if you think about it. I realized that he must have known I interviewed Kevin for last month’s issue of “Serial Killer Magazine” with all the implications he made about me questioning Kevin. I guess I should have realized all along that Rob D was the only person in the world who knew everything about Ted Bundy. The only PhD there is in Bundyscience! Silly ole me! How dare I question his theories or agree with something that Kevin researched. According to Robby, that just made me an “idiot”. And then, he actually assumed that I was “emotionally” scarred by his scathing insults because I asked his research partner why the guy was so hostile. Talk about the biggest ego in the world. I mean, this guy’s ego is worse than Ted’s was. But of course, I’m wrong because my opinion about Bundy doesn’t matter. The only opinion that matters is Rob’s…because his is “factual speculation” and not just speculation. Okay, can somebody please hand me the cough medicine? Kevin, do not let the antics of this fool “cause you any grief, a part of him was hidden all along.”

I’m sorry but I can’t. The obit has information about her whereabouts, family, her several children and grandchildren. I have never told my husband where they are. I don’t think it’s my story to tell; it’s theirs.

Her first, middle and last name were changed, more than once. I am letting her rest in peace.

I just discovered that for some odd and unknown reason, I state in my new book The Trail of Ted Bundy (I just noticed this today!), that I have Bundy’s capture date in Granger, Utah as August 15, 1975, when in fact (as I’ve always known) it is August 16, 1975, and this is the date I have in The Bundy Murders. God only knows how this mistake happened. That said, I will have the publisher correct the eBook as soon as possible, and the trade paper edition as well.

Hey everyone! Just found this forum a few days ago and have been trying to play catch up. I am almost there but I just wanted to introduce myself.

I also wanted to mention that I live in the Pensacola area. I live maybe twenty minutes away from where Ted was arrested. Although a few have speculated on why Ted was in that particular neighborhood, I can say that it probably wasn’t because he was hunting. That area has always been the bad part of town. I lean more towards him trying to find the interstate.

If he had just continued on the street he was on for probably 2 or 3 miles he would have found it. But since Officer David Lee had started following him he turned right on to the first street he had come to. And within five minutes Officer Lee had found out that the vehicle was stolen. And of course, the rest is history.

Now, I do have a question. Since I haven’t read all of the comments on this thread yet, please forgive me if this has already been discussed. But what does everyone think about this new alleged Bundy attack survivor, Rhonda Stapely?

Kevin, I just wanted to let you know that I am reading The Bundy Murders. It is taking me some time to do since my kids are on summer vacation. I have to make sure that they’re entertained, that means minimal reading time for me. But as soon as I am done I will let you know what I think.

I am halfway through another new book on Bundy called “Ted Bundy – A Visual Timeline” by Rob Dielenberg. It’s a visual compendium and then some. Dielenberg is a retired neuroscientist and he offers lots of insight. You can get a sample or purchase the book here: https://gumroad.com/dielenator# Lots of new pictures I have never seen before! The author has obviously done a lot of work putting together the book.

Yes, I know Ron fairly well, in as much as we’ve message each other quite a bit. I’ve seen his work on Bundy prior to this and I’m sure he’s added more. It’s funny, as he’s taken issue with me on a couple of things, and when I asked him what they were he said he wouldn’t tell me (lol!) but that he’d address them in his book. When I told him I was doing a companion volume to The Bundy Murders, he said that we were “competitors” and I laughed. I will purchase his book.

I messaged Ron and told him I was going to wait for the trade paper edition, and he said it will be a couple of months. The reason I’m waiting (besides I still like actual books), is that I’m not so sure about downloading from Gumroad. Is it like Amazon, inasmuch one can download to PC as well as IPhone? I enjoy eBooks, but not just on my PC. What’s the deal with it, and how has your experience been with that company?

I purchased and downloaded the book with no issues. It’s in PDF format. I can read PDF on my eReader (which is really a tablet) with no problem. I didn’t try it with my iPhone though. BTW: I always use Trusteer Endpoint Protection for sites where I put personal info like a credit card in. It’s a free application that my bank had recommended.

I’m looking forward to reading it. I messaged Rob, saying I wanted to wait for the trade paper edition, and he said it should be a couple of months. On his Facebook site for the book, he states that Melissa Smith was abducted under an overpass and gives a pic as well. I asked him about that, stating the actual mechanics of the abduction are unknown: did Bundy grab her on the way home, or did he pick her up as she was hitchhiking, etc, and I cover both scenarios in my book. So when I asked him (author to author- plus his book is already published), he said I would have to wait to read the book! I said “Lol! Okay”.

All in all, I love the fact that he’s gathered the photos he’s gathered, as it gives one a good sense of the lasting reality of what happened. For example, just seeing the headstones of Bundy’s victims brings the finality to it all. All in all ( unless when I read it and find something glaringly off) it will be a really good addition to the Bundy canon, as it were, and I’m glad Rob produced it.

By the way, what’s the new Lake Sam info?

One more thing: WildBlue Press is creating a page that will contain many photos of the Bundy sites that I obtained during my summer 2015 trip. They did not want to publish them all in the book, but they’ll be available there. Wait until you see what it looked like as Bundy readied himself to jump out the 2nd story window at the Aspen, CO courthouse. Anyway, they should be up soon, and I’ll let everyone know as soon as they are there.

I won’t give away the Lake Sam extras here, as I know Rob put a lot of time into it and most likely wouldn’t want first-time published new tidbits ‘given away’… Let’s just say there is a graphic description of what Bundy did with them both, and why he chose a blonde (Ott) and a brunette (Naslund). And the extras on what he did to Leach… I felt sick reading it.

Well, that’s great. But I hope he didn’t get that info from just “new testimony” that can’t be corroborated by other, record-type sources. I’m saying this as I heard many things during my writing of The Bundy Murders (and a good deal since then), that I had to discard because of the lack of corroborating evidence. Now, if such material is presented as a maybe- and you’re just putting it out there-then it’s far more acceptable. But if one starts to proclaim it as a “new” revelation, and presenting it as fact, it can come back on you later. As researchers and writers, we must be very careful here.

I read “I Survived Ted Bundy” by Rhonda Stapley. I thought it was very well written and I believe her story and that she was a victim of Bundy. They are not recovered memories. She always remembered. She explains why she didn’t come forward and guilt she felt. It rings true to me.

It’s a powerful story of someone who suffered a brutal attack many years ago and overcame the resulting PTSD. The fact that the attacker was Ted Bundy is almost secondary but, of course, it isn’t because of who Bundy is.

It does seem illogical to believe that only one (Carol Daronch) escaped Bundy’s clutches. He was a very busy beaver. I am sure there were others. And it doesn’t seem strange to me that she didn’t come forward until recently. I understand that. Especially back in the 1970’s.

Not only strange that she didn’t come forward, but it’s absolutely baffling. To know other women are being sexually assaulted and murdered, and remain silent?

Also, the way in which she “escaped” from Bundy does not seem plausible to me at all. When Carol got away it was during a melee and she escaped by the slimmest of chances; a big part of it was the arrival of the old couple driving towards her as she ran screaming away from Ted. But apparently the story she tells is one I do not think Bundy would have allowed!!! To me, it just doesn’t add up to what we know about Bundy, and how he (and this is a big one!) dealt with his victims.

In my view, if this woman was truly attacked (I can’t say either way), I do not believe her attacker was Ted Bundy.

As a writer of two books on Ted Bundy, I must tell you that I have been contacted by numerous women (or heard of their stories) , over the years, and there is only ONE individual that I absolutely believe she had an encounter with Ted. All of the others are simply folks wanting to be connected to the case, and nothing more.

Apparently (so I’ve read in articles about her), they claim the FBI backs up the validity of her “case” because this supposed event happened in the same area (Utah) and during the same time as Bundy was there. But this alone IS NOT EVIDENCE.

To be absolutely fair I must say this: I’m sure the writer is a nice person and it appears she’s led a constructive life. And if she was attacked like she claims (and I have NO REASON to doubt that), I’m sure she carries scars, etc. But when determining what is true and what is not, it is of paramount importance that a proper “vetting” must be a part of the process, and there’s no better place to go for this than the known “experts” on the Bundy case, and that includes those who were close to the case, and even the writers who know this case inside and out. However, from Dr. Phil to People Magazine, no one is thinking of the possibility that Ted Bundy DID NOT attack this woman; that perhaps she was assaulted by someone else . No, everybody assumes the story is true and then the story goes from there. That’s absurd to do, of course, but who am I to say otherwise.

May I ask a question, please? I seem to remember reading in Ann Rule’s book that many women contacted her as well, claiming to be almost-Bundy-victims. What is with this weird phenomenon? Why would someone claim to be an almost victim?

Perhaps it makes them feel important and gives them a frisson to feel that perhaps it could have happened? It’s like these silly women who marry serial killers in jail. I don’t count Carole Anne Boone because she was involved with Bundy before he was jailed but women like Delores Louy (sp?) who married Richard Ramirez.

Well, there are a variety of reasons why folks do this. For example, if a woman is suspicious of a man, as if he could MAYBE do her harm, that will stay with them. And if they find out later that Ted Bundy was even remotely near them (within, say, anywhere from a city limit to 200 miles away!) they might get it in their head that it’s absolutely Ted Bundy! Of course, there’s NO evidence that guy was actually going to harm her, and NO evidence that it was Bundy. But in their mind it was him. People come up with all kinds of stories to link themselves with the case, and it’s strange. Even if a woman is actually attacked, if her assailant isn’t caught, and she’s in a “Bundy” area when it happens, they may honestly believe they were a victim of him. And also, some women are outright lying about it, as they feel it will make them look important. It’s all about bringing attention to themselves. That’s it and nothing more.

No, there was a woman on here who mentioned she believed she encountered Bundy in Kentucky, to which you replied the only time you were aware of Bundy being there was after he escaped Colorado. I can’t seem to find her post here though, it was here last week. She put her email address on here to be contacted. It seems to have vanished…

Wow! Maybe I’m getting old, but I’m drawing a blank on that one. Of course, I answer lots of questions, both here and on Facebook, so that could be part of it.

Yes, I’m only aware of Bundy coming through Louisville on his way to Florida, and he didn’t kill anyone here; nor did he encounter anyone, except when he ate at Uncle Hanks Pancake Cottage on Jefferson St. In downtown Louisville. So whatever this story was, I do not believe she met Bundy.

You can contact the headsman of this site, and he may be able to locate it for you. He isn’t in the habit of removing posts, so I’m thinking it’s still here.

I found her comment, couple pages down. She mentions she’s writing a new book on Bundy. Her comment said “I’m taken back to Louisville 1978, where I believe I met this man”. Haven’t heard back from her since though.

Who is this lady you believe had an actual encounter with Ted? (It was some months back, but you said there was only one individual who had come forward that you believed had an actual run-in with Bundy). Or rather… what were the details in her story that convinced you she was on the level, as opposed to all the others? I know of course that you can’t share personal details about the lady on here, LoL.

I think I said I only know of one woman who escaped Bundy once the attack had begun, and that was Carol DaRonch. But there are numerous women who were potential victims and had contact with Bundy. And while I’ve been contacted by a good number of women claiming this, I have only talked with two or three who I believe had valid Bundy encounters. I have one in the new book coming out on January 24th, and while I can’t say conclusively it was Bundy, it is a strong maybe, and certainly worth mentioning.

My publisher, WildBlue Press, is offering my new book on Ted Bundy ( as well as some other books of mine) at .99 cents starting tomorrow- but these prices won’t last long!

Beginning May 6 get TRAIL OF TED BUNDY: Digging Up The Untold Stories and KENTUCKY BLOODBATH: Ten Bizarre Tales of Murder From the Bluegrass State for just 99 cents! But hurry the 99 cent deal only lasts a couple days; after that, the price will increase incrementally until returning to full price on May 10.
ALSO, as a special thank you from Kevin and WildBlue Press, you can order VAMPIRE: The Richard Chase Murders for FREE during this same time period.

THE TRAIL OF TED BUNDY: Digging Up the Untold Stories is a look into the life of serial killer Ted Bundy, from those who knew him, to those who chased him, and from those who mourned his many victims. Get it here: http://wbp.bz/thetrailoftedbundy

Hi Kevin….just finished On the Trail…. you indicate that you visited several sites pertaining to Bundy but not many photos of them made it into the book….how about another book showing photos of bundy haunts, hangouts, and crime scenes as they appeared in the ’70’s and what they look like now? Shame that Chi Omega was remodeled and that The Oaks burned down.
I keep hoping that someone will do a semi-professional dvd showing these locations and offering it for sale.

The decision to have fewer photos than I had anticipated was made by the publisher. However, I will ask them if they can add all of the photos I sent them during my trip to a special page at WildBlue Press, and I’ll add the captions for each. We originally talked about that anyway. I’m sure they’ll be agreeable to the idea, so let me ask.

Also, if you haven’t yet left a review on Amazon (or Audible if it’s an audio book), could you do so? Every good review helps. Thanks!

Oh, lazy me.
It only took seconds to type “Georgann Hawkins’ Mom, interview” and I googled the interview.
But one thing stroke me most.
The following part:
“In 1972-73, the 17-year-old Lakes High School senior was named to the royal court of the Washington Daffodil Festival….Georgann made the newspapers regularly as the princesses traveled the state attending concerts, meeting children, riding in parades and signing autographs at charity events. A highlight was a trip to the state Legislature, where Georgann addressed lawmakers in spring 1973.”

Is it possible that Bundy knew Georgann from local papers?
And then he promised himself to put his dirty hands on that daffodil?
I know it is only a speculation but not so wild.
It is not that dogmatic that Bundy’s victims were always random and he only wanted the ones he had never met before.
Specially, in the case of seeing Georgann in local paper by him – we cannot say he really knew her – just saw her.

Remember that he MAY have known Lynda Ann Healy – they may have shared the same lectures.
Remember that he MAY have known Melissa Smith from sight as she and Ted Bundy frequented the same malls and cafeterias in Salt Lake – and she was kind of loud, showing off type of person, being a police officer daughter.
That might be extra factor to Bundy, to play game with police. This Melissa issue was raised by one poster thousands post ago. But Georgeann followed by the predator in papers sounds not so unrealistic.

Yeah, I know Bundy in his pre-execution confession covered Hawkins murder to a specially great detail, but never mentioned that he had known victim before. But he never told all the stuff – that testimony was kind of teaser coverage in his eyes – next to be told – after earning stay of execution. Nevertheless I still remember those teen mags found with Bundy when he was apprehended. Anyway from what I understand Hawkins as daffodile princess was covered in WA newspaper in 1972/73 and he attacked her a year later. I think Bundy was kind of short-term stalker – maybe months not years.

Concerning the new book, I survived Ted Bundy, I will make some points about it: First, I have not read the book so I will withhold my full opinion until I do; and that could be some time as it isn’t a priority with me (say, could that mean something? Lol!)

Okay: Here are the red flags I have about her book. First, any testimony that comes out of what has been referred to as “recovered memories” is always suspect to me. Another bad sign is that she did not report the assault at that time. Now, you may be thinking that other women have done that very thing, and that’s true. However, we’re talking about an area – Salt Lake City and its surroundings- and this woman would have been aware of the fast accumulating murders, and to not report the rape during this terrible time of women dying, strikes me as exceedingly strange. In my view, this is very very odd.

I AM NOT saying this poor lady wasn’t attacked by someone, but I just don’t think it was Bundy.

Why don’t I think it was Bundy, you ask? Well, she lived through it!!!!! After the failure to kill his first victim of 1974, he NEVER made that mistake again, starting with Lynda Ann Healy.

So, which way do I lean in this building Bundy controversy (lol!)? I would say Ted Bundy was not involved with anything that happened to this woman.

Yes, it is difficult to believe. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out in the future; pertaining to how accepted it is by the public, that is. It can’t be an easy thing claiming to be a Ted Bundy survivor. As far as I know, Carol DaRonch is the only one to slip through Bundy’s hands. And all of the proof is there to back up her story.

Well, that’s not quite true. Carol Daronch escaped. Women escaped him in Florida. Women escaped him at Lake Sam. The odds are, if you trolled like Bundy did, a certain percentage of woman are gonna slip through your fingers. Makes sense. That doesn’t mean I believe her story. But he was supremely confident I don’t think he worried too much of a woman got away – after all, without being caught in the act by authorities, what proof was there he’d tried to kill anyone? Only hours after Daronch he got Kent – that’s not the action of a man who’s scared of being identified at all.

Yes, of course, Bundy didn’t mind being seen, and if you read my book, The Bundy Murders, you’ll see that I talk about it. And you’re correct: other women got away, but you’re mistaken about those who were under attack by Ted. In that case, we only know of one, and that’s DaRonch. Now, it didn’t have to be that way, but from all the evidence, that’s the way it is.

Now, I have no axe to grind concerning Stapely’s book. But now that I’ve learned about it I have deep misgivings concerning it. And it’s not just about her story of this abduction, but her silence as well; even when she knew other women were being kidnapped and murdered. And there is this: it just doesn’t have that all-important “ring of truth” to it. So for me (forgive me lol!) it has no place in the Bundy canon, as it were. And I’m amazed all of those interviewing her, from People magazine to Dr. Phil, to others, are just accepting it as fact without any critical analysis.

I’m sure the author is a nice lady, and she may have been attached by someone. But that someone, in my opinion, IS NOT Ted Bundy.

No, I’m not mistaken about those under attack by Ted. Daronch was under attack and got away. What I’m saying is, history has set in stone “she’s the only one”. This new witness suggests she’s not. For all we know, this was a chance meeting and he got lazy here. He’s only human after all. History has shown us in Florida how lazy he got. Her story is plausible. What makes me undecided, and unable to believe, is her reluctance to come forward with SO MANY WOMEN going missing. If she’s telling the truth, and refused to come forward out of “shame”, then she’s got blood on her hands. That to me doesn’t make sense at all. Only a polygraph will prove it.

I haven’t watched it yet but we do have to wonder…why now? I found the episode online to watch later. In case someone needs this info:
Dr. Phil
Season 14 Episode 142
Title: Beautiful Mother Dead and Dismembered: The Ex-Girlfriend of the Man Accused Speaks Out
(the first half deals with the above and the second half with the Bundy victim)

I’m hard pressed to believe someone could be able to remember what happened after all she claimed she went through. She was beaten, raped, and strangled. Strangled over and over again. Making her pass out, then bringing her back. Then she fell and hit her face on some rocks….Yea, sounds like something you could remember.

There are MANY stories around the PNW where women believe they got away from Bundy. Some probably did; as he confessed at the end of is life he said there were times where he just didn’t follow through. A woman would carry his books to his car and he would just say “thanks…”

Of course as soon as I saw and watched this, where else do I go to discuss? Interesting to hear your perspectives. I’m normally a pretty cynical person molded by life’s cruelties like everyone else. So I don’t consider myself naive. Maybe part of it is that I feel extremely sad for her assuming it’s true, being an older, normal woman that may have gone through close to the worst thing that could happen to a person. So…on this one…I tend to believe her. Choosing to take her word for it. And I feel very sad for her. Is there a chance this happened to her and it wasn’t Bundy? Sure. Do I think she’s making it all up to sell a book? I don’t. Sounds like Bundy was in the car going for his length of cord when she woke up. If he did this between 30 and 120 times, statistically it was bound to happen. We’re all entitled to our opinion. This particular cynical person believes that during those times, she would’ve felt and been shamed and stigmatized so much more for this happening to her, and I buy her wanting to forget and move on, rather than get involved once he was identified.

I remember such comments from Bundy that hunting of victims was equally (or even more) exciting comparing to murder or that ultimately, “summarizing” Bundy never got out of his murders what he really expected.
My question is – can anybody reconstruct the variety of emotions that ran through Bundy’s mind during example hunting-abduction-sex-murder-aftermath event? Looks like he experienced a lot of different impulses excluding maybe feeling guilty.
I know, Kevin, you will tell me again “Read my book” lol or “Get a crystal ball and call Bundy in hell”.
But I am just asking. Maybe it is not that silly
I think to be close to such answers we should thoroughly read the reports of psychologists’/psychiatric’ the ones who examined Bundy and others who later “interpreted” him. But I am too dumb to do it
Take care
Bart

I think you’re reading too much into his statement. He meant that in his fantasy world of murder, all things went the way his mind was imagining it. In that fantasy all was perfect. But in the real life of murder, not all lined up as in his fantasies.

But make no mistake: he loved committing the murders and all that came with it. And he never wanted to give that up. And that’s why I’m saying you are reading too much into his statement.

Thanks for answering me.
I was much more getting at what spectrum of emotions ran through his mind than at interpreting his thoughts about murder from behind bars.
It is obvious he loved killing but I was interested in psychological process occurring inside his mind during crime event.
Why?
Because it is like looking inside alien’s mind, but still party human.
I remember (from Bundy’s testimony that non necessarily reliable) that he among other felt scared at what did.
For example – he was throwing out of his vehicle victim’s clothes in a panic (only to collect it thoroughly as the panic passed) or he woke up the next day after the murder, hoping that what happened was only a dream.
Another emotion – anger – when he could not make it to lure any victims and went home “empty-handed”.
This is what I meant. Spectrum of emotions from a monster.

Thought produces emotion and emotion produces action. This is how it works. And because we do not know his exact thoughts at those time, we can’t be completely certain about his emotions. But we can have a pretty good idea of what he was experiencing and why.

Thanks, Kevin. I pose questions impossible to answer – reconstructing Bundy’s emotions – certainly varying from murder to next murder. Killing – a preposterous act to me – unless you are a soldier or using self-defense when being attacked by someone really dangerous. Then, you have a “conscious” guy like Bundy who devotes his whole lifetime to prepare, commit and hide murder after murder. It sounds like an alien but it still human!

Ran across this article by someone who interviewed Mrs. Bundy and Mrs. Rancourt on the day of Ted’s execution and they spoke to each other! The link is below but in case it gets old, you can try Googling “Mrs. Bundy by Dana Middleton Silberstein”.

Yes, I remember reading that a year or so ago. Very interesting. Did you happen to read the interview last year of Georgann Hawkins’ mom? She’s living in Utah now (I believe), and it was an article published in the local paper. What’s interesting is that it was the first she’s done since the disappearance of her daughter.

Unnatural Causes, a trilogy of murder and mayhem, that I co-authored with Gregg Olsen, is on sale for only 99 cents for a limited time. This has very interesting murder cases from Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Truly a great read at a great price. If I didn’t already own it I’d buy it myself lol!

Bought it. Haven’t looked at it yet but read the description. I wonder if Alec Krieder, the Pennsylvania killer, is related to the Krieder family that was killed in North Dakota. (I wrote about it here; a dreadful massacre. Search for it if you want to know the details.) The North Dakota Krieders were originally from Pennsylvania and the surviving children returned there after the murders to be raised by relatives. I think the dead were also shipped back there for burial.

I couldn’t reply directly to you as things are still messed up as to order of posts. Anyway, that confession is packed away again, and I’m far too busy to dig stuff out and scan, email, etc. Indeed, I occasionally get such requests and I am always forced to say no. But having first, The Bundy Murders, and now The Trail of Ted Bundy, you have the best parts of it.

I finished reading the companion Book to the Bundy murders and thoroughly enjoyed the read, with the new tidbits of information scattered throughout the book showing the darker side to Ted Bundy’s personality.

Firstly, what I found very interesting is the connection between Bundy and Lynda Healy. A psychology professor had both Healy and Bundy sharing classes as early as 1971! less than three years before Bundy captured her in early 1974. If you couple this with the information from Bob Keppell that both Bundy and Healy both cashed cheques at the same safeway store prior to her murder, it suggests that Bundy was keeping tabs on her for a long time, stalking her and possibly had some type of communication with her. This is probably why so little is known about her murder as Bundy had likely built some type fasination with her, fantasing about her murder and eventually planning the best way to abduct her, namely she was a victim that he knew and possibly felt a strong deep connection too.

It’s highly likely that Bundy was stalking her at that particular time, finding out information about her life, friends, jobs etc. This may have assisted in him abducting her as he seemed to know which room she was in. Although Bundy did admit in Florida to not murdering people that he knew, Lynda may have been one of the few exceptions.

Another interesting tidbit was Bundys comment to Ann Rule whilst he was on Bail in late 1975. ‘If I did do it, I wouldn’t be silly enough to do anything here’. Not exactly the words of an innocent man. His dislike to being followed by the police was more important than maintaining his innocenice. It’s these types of comments that allude to his guilt.

For me, the shocking part is that Bundy shared classes with Healy, went to the same shopping centres as her and frequented the same bars (Dantes Tavern) as her. The connection is definitely there. If we believe that she was his first official murder, he could have planned it for a very long time. He also told Hagmaier that he would stalk some victims to gain more knowledge of their life and I think she fell into that category.

Apart from those who knew Bundy, I think it’s unlikely we will get such an indepth account of Bundy and his murders without the same rehashing of information. Thanks to you Kevin, we have been given a fresh new look into the case with new, unpublishEd information along the way. Two thumbs up from me.

Kevin, do you still have a copy of the Idaho confession in full that can be sent via email? I remember you offered it a number of years ago after the Bundy murders was published. I just wondered as it would make for some good reading?

I have bought your new Bundy book (well by mistake I bought it twice but gonna get the second one refunded ) and I am in the process of reading it (almost finishing it). I was a little bit disappointed that it is so short but now I understand it as a small companion volume to your main book “The Bundy Murders”. I was also hoping this book will pay some more homage to the victims – the girls, women – depicting their previous lives (no matter how short) until fate crossed their paths with homicidal maniac. I can see you devoted some more verses on Kathy Parks thanks to her high school colleague account back in California. And or course thanks to our poor Lorraine.
Victims deserve such stories ans memories but OTOH the best think to honor them is no to link them directly to Bundy. I notice that memorials held for them never mention Bundy – so it should stay this way.
Maybe some day someone linked with some victim families organizations will release a larger volume overall devoted to all brutal murder victims (not only Bundy’s murders) depicting their lives – so brutally terminated?
Anyway your book works well. Thanks

Yeah, yeah. I know what you mean. Murder is “cool”, regular lives – isolated from their tragic endings – boring. Even the lives set in the US in 70s – now very trendy era – see the must-see tv show “Vinyl :). On the internet there some FB page devoted to Bundy’s victims but they all have strange feeling to them – like Bundy still owns those victims.
Maybe the best is to let those poor souls to rest in peace and leave the memories to their families. Too bad such people – father, mothers, cousins, friends are leaving too – from normal biological reasons. Even the last and the youngest of the killed ones – Kimberley Leach would have turned 51 this year. Yet more decades to pass and those girls would have been remembered only as “Bundy’s targets”. Sad. Unjust.

No Bart, murder is not cool, but you do have issues. You are driven in odd ways, just as you were when you first came to this site. Back then I remember you practically wanted to take things over here and make the blog about the victims. And then I had to tell you NO, you weren’t going to change things; I had to explain how this is about the Bundy case in its entirety: Bundy, the victims, the investigators, etc.
And now today you are once again inserting your views in the same ways, practically chiding us for not bringing the victims up to the level that you want them to be.

Come on, Kevin, I have no issues. Neither hidden agenda to reshape this thread into the tribute to victims, without actually telling they were the victims. I appear here so rarely but it still seems like I pose a threat Plus assuming I have issues (or had issues) – they were various ones – as I far as I remember. Not only the victims’ thing.

Do you know where Janice Ott was murdered? Ive read her remains were found at Lake Sammamish, do you have knowledge on this aspect of her disappearance? Where was the place he took his victims on this day?

I just set the comments to go newest-to-oldest and that seems to have cleaned up the old comments that were still hanging around on this page. (Previously, comments were oldest-to-newest in general, but still paginated after 50 … so in principle you’d be seeing the most recent 50 top-level comments, but the 50th most recent of those first. Add in threaded replies, and the whole thing is a mess.)

The current setup seems like a more pleasing appearance as pertains this thread, which is by far the most active on this site. Do others agree? I can’t code to order but if there’s a groundswell for a different approach I shall try my best to fiddle with knobs accordingly.

Two reasons for this post. One, just got the Kindle version of your new book, Kevin, and can’t wait to tear into it over the next three hours or so. Second, I want to see where my comment is going to end up. I’m not sure if conversation died down, or the comments are permanently screwed up, making us finished here. I hope not.

Yes, that is a rare photo of Bundy. Indeed, I planned to use it in The Bundy Murders, but for some reason I left it out. But I contacted the Salt Lake Tribune to see if the release to use the photo is still good, and they said yes. So it’s front cover for the new book.

I’m sure the Kindle version will be released in the UK the same time, or about the same time it’s released here in the U.S.; with the trade paper and audio editions soon to follow.

Let me know what you think of it when you’re finished. And If you could also leave a review on Amazon, that would be great!

Hi all. My “obsession” with Ted Bundy has resurfaced, maybe because of the discussion of a new book from you Kevin. I will surely order it as soon as possible. I was very happy when you sent me an autograph that i put in your first book. I am very much a lurker on this blog and rarely comment but i just wanted to say hi

It’s good to hear from you again! I hope things have been well with you and yours.

The new book will be coming out on March 15th, and that’s right around the corner, as they say. I believe you and everyone who reads it will love it as it contains a lot of new info from folks you probably haven’t heard from before. I was both pleased and surprised when I received their stories!

I’ve read your book and I loved it! Thanks for writing it. I have a question, please. I know Bundy had an icepick in his car when he was pulled over that fateful night. As far as you know, did he use the icepick on any of his victims? I am asking because it was one of the items he carried in his “kit,” but also because the picture on the cover of your book is an icepick! Yet I cannot recall ever reading of an injury to any victim that would have been caused by an icepick.

Well, this is weird: I posted a reply to you a couple of hours ago from my IPhone, and it’s not here. After i posted it, it showed it being there, but not now. Oh well lol!

Anyway, thank you so much for the good comments about my book! I very much appreciate them!

Bundy did puncture one of his victims in the abdomen with his ice pick. Now, the girl was no doubt already dead, so this must have been done to satisfy one of Bundy’s secret desires. The guy was always doing strange things to the dead bodies.

As to the cover of my book, McFarland, the publisher didn’t consult me in the matter. Most publishers do not ask the writer about design features per the front and back covers, or internal design. The writer is responsible for the manuscript and the picture captions, but that’s about it.

Of the four publishers I have, three asked for my feedback of the covers they were thinking of using on my upcoming publications. Now, I happened to like what they were doing and said so. However, I’m sure I didn’t have the final “say” in the matter, but at least they asked. But my Bundy book publisher did not. Personally, I haven’t had a problem with it, but it’s not what I would have done if it was my call. And I’m sure Bundy NEVER used the ice pick as a weapon.

And say, Sandy, since you enjoyed the book so much, could you possibility write a review for it on Amazon, or wherever you received it? If you read it from the library or borrowed a copy, you can still leave a review at Amazon. Anyway, all reviews help, so thanks in advance for the review if you decide to write it.

I am not a writer, but if you give me a couple of days to come up with it, then of course I will write a review! As I said, I loved the book and I seem to remember that you have a new one coming out this month, is that correct?

Thanks for considering writing the review! And as to the review, it doesn’t have to be a long one. One, two or three sentences should be enough. Since you loved the book, just say so and anything that comes to mind about what you liked about it. And thanks!

Yes, I have a new Bundy book coming out later this month. It’s a companion volume to the first book, and has many stories from people who knew Bundy and the victims, and most if not all of these have never before been in print; plus lots of other things make up the book as well. Lots of back stories, lol! I think you’ll really enjoy it.

I do not believe it’s anywhere near as high as 100, like Bob Keppel likes to claim. But I wonder what someone like Bill Hagmaier thinks. Considering they did go over an actual number.

I don’t think it’s actually the 30 that he went over with Bill. But I don’t think it’s a super high number either. He became distracted by the killing in 74. I would assume he would’ve became distracted much earlier if he were killing like that in years previous to ’74.

I feel he killed sporadically. Starting, possibly in the late 60’s. Then the compulsions took over by ’74, and he became the full blow killer he was known to be.

Steve, I’d go along with all of that. I think it’s somewhere between 35-50 (a staggering amount as it is, every one an apocalypse for the family concerned). And until it became his ‘thing’ circa ’73-4, you can probably count his victims on your fingers, maybe even on one hand. And I’d agree that the best professional guess would come from Hagmaier.

Even if he killed Ann Burr at 14 as many believe, his final count could still be under 40. Remember Dahmer killed someone at 15, then was dormant till a similar age to Bundy when his ‘run’ began.

As for the Burr killing… let me throw out a piece of circumstantial evidence that puts me in the ‘he did it’ camp. That Bundy mugshot during the original investigation (white T shirt) shows a young man with a ridiculous amount of wrinkles. I believe this is down to his obsession and possible sleep deprivation over years. It’s very unusual for someone in their twenties… but mid-teens?

Check out that high school yearbook shot, Bundy in semi-profile sitting at a desk. Look at his forehead. This is a teenager already submerged in murderous fantasy, I reckon. It hardly proves he killed someone, obviously, but for me is a puzzle piece which indicated his obsession was already in place at the time of the Burr disappearance. And with that, I’m inclined to think he did it. And if he did, I think a handful of others might lie between Burr and Healy.

I disagree. I think most people think he didn’t do it because they can’t fathom a 14 year old actually pulling it off. But I just don’t believe in coincidences. After what Robert Holmes said in ’87, that Bundy told a schoolfriend “where he’d hidden a body” – unsubstantiated, but it’s always been out there, Burr’s father believing he saw Bundy early the next morning, and the approximate location of where Bundy lived, it’s really not much of a stretch. I think Bundys mother was so clueless as to what he ever was up to, she wouldn’t have even been aware that he crept out of his bedroom at night and went for a ride on his bike. He could’ve done all this within a couple hours. I personally believe the massive police search and media attention it caused really rattled Bundy, and he didn’t indulge in that behaviour again for years, until ’66 (just my opinion). But the seed was there from early childhood, and only got stronger after what he did with Ann. The whole case just reeks of Bundy to me – if he did conceal her body in a nearby ditch that was covered up that DAY, that’s something a 14 yr old could easily do (no, Bundy wasn’t as smart as he led on, but that’s because his ego ruined his smarts – he was still highly intelligent when it came to THIS stuff). There’s no doubt in my mind he did this.

so, having weighed up all the above then I think we can see how the mall incident really played out.

Bundy wanted a child that day.

1. He only used the “authority figure” ruse with children.

2. The “substation” story is only workable with children in mind … adults would be super-suspicious of that (even daRonch was)

3. He had already researched the school he would visit afterwards.

4. Ted’s outdoor strategy with adults was always back to his car asap. He had not planned for adults that day and so the DaRonch thing was a frustrated improv. And Ted makes mistakes when he is frustrated (Chi Omega, 2nd Lake Sam visit, etc).

5. (This is total speculation) His strange return to the school play after already getting Debra Kent was because he really wanted a child.

Actually, morph, I don’t think he wanted a child that night. I think he wanted a young woman when he went to the mall.
And, I think his police cover was designed to work with young females and it worked with DaRonch. Indeed, he was still playing cop at Viewmont High, and I did not find anything in the record that when Bundy asked the teacher to come out “and identify a car” for him, that she suspected he wasn’t a police officer. In other words, it wasn’t an issue. So Bundy could use that cop ruse on anyone; although, to my knowledge, he used it very sparingly. It wasn’t his regular MO, but he did use it.

Also, I don’t consider Debra Kent a “child”, but she was younger than Carol DaRonch. Real children that Bundy killed would be Lynette Culver and Kim Leach. There were other children, of course, but we don’t know their names.

Perhaps he spoke to some people a certain way as he,Ted thought that was the way that person was supposed to be spoken to.Before approaching people I suppose he observed their actions and body movements so he could calculate the best way to approach them.I’m sure sometimes their reactions to him caught him off guard and he quickly had to think on his feet which usually did not always work when that would happen.As for the younger of the victims,he might have wanted a virgin.